Leon stepped out of the capsule device and took a deep breath of the damp air in his room. He hadn’t opened the window in several days, so the sunlight was absent from the room. He walked to the window and opened it, allowing the midday sun to flood in and brighten the small space. The fresh air felt invigorating after days of being cooped up inside.
His face, previously pale, turned a slight shade of red when illuminated by the sun. “I’ve been living like a vampire for the past few days,” he murmured.
He had a few plans for the day. Over the past three weeks or so in Yunatea, he had been occupied with a variety of tasks, including hunting monsters and mining. As a result, he had gathered plenty of resources, more than he had managed to accumulate in the past year while playing Immortal Legacy. Consequently, he had also made a considerable amount of money.
He thought to himself, “With the money I’ve earned, I can afford to have some fun.”
Leon was amazed by the assistance provided by RememberMe. Not only did he help him sell the items he got through the courier who came every few days to collect them, but RememberMe also went a step further by providing prepayment for all the items. In a very short time, Leon had collected as many as twenty gold coins, which, if exchanged for real currency, was around twenty thousand dollars. The amount of money he had amassed was beyond anything he had ever imagined.
After getting such a fantastic amount of money, he thought about going to the nearest convenience store to print his own Immortal Card. This would make it easier for him to conduct transactions and convert in-game currency into real currency.
Leon left the room, went to take a shower, and quickly got ready. He was very excited that day, imagining how much money he would get and thinking about the things he wanted to buy, things he would have hesitated to purchase before. He thought about getting a new phone and laptop, items he had needed to replace for a long time but had always put off due to their cost.
The Immortal Legacy player possessed a payment card known as an Immortal Card. This card was utilized to convert in-game currency to real-world currency and back again. Players can shop online or use this card at merchants located around the globe. There were various tiers and types of these cards, ranging from Bronze to Silver, Gold, and Platinum, and each tier had specific criteria, requirements, and features associated with it.
Leon noticed Lily was still not home from school, so he quickly hopped on his bicycle and dashed off to the nearest convenience store to get his new Immortal Card. Unfortunately, the closest convenience store to his house was the one he used to work at. However, he didn’t really mind as he no longer cared for his former manager, Bob.
After a few minutes, Leon arrived at the store. He parked his bicycle near the entrance, carefully locking it before quickly stepping inside the convenience store.
He strolled confidently toward the cashier and stopped in front of a girl he recognized. She was not only a familiar face but also one of his colleagues when he used to work at the store.
“Hey, Mia,” Leon greeted her warmly.
“Leon?” Mia replied, her eyes widening in surprise. “I heard what happened. How are you holding up?”
Leon smiled casually. “Everything is good,” he said with a nonchalant shrug. “Actually, I need to get a new Immortal Card. Could you help me out with that?”
Mia nodded slowly. “Sure,” she said quietly. She then reached under the counter and pulled out a small, square-shaped machine. “Please scan your account here. What type of card do you need, Leon?”
“No wonder I sneezed,” Bob, the manager, suddenly exclaimed as he walked over to where Leon and Mia were standing. His face twisted with disgust as he continued, “A homeless person broke into my shop.”
Leon turned back to Mia, ignoring Bob’s rude comment. “I want the gold one, Mia,” he said firmly.
Bob couldn’t believe what he had just heard. “What kind of joke is he pulling?” he asked with a mocking laugh. “Do you know the requirements for obtaining the gold Immortal Card? Is the inside of your head damaged because you’re now without a job?”
Leon clicked his tongue in frustration and turned to face Bob. “I’m a customer, and I’m asking you to treat me with respect as a responsible manager.”
With his round belly jiggling, Bob stepped closer to Leon, his face inches away. “What are you talking about? What makes you think I need to care about a customer like you? Do you think this is a joke, ordering a gold Immortal Card? Should I call the security guard to throw you out of here?”
“What’s the problem with me ordering a gold Immortal Card?” Leon shot back, his annoyance growing. “If there were another shop nearby, I’d take my business there, but I have no other choice. So, I suggest you back off and let me finish my purchase.”
Bob sneered. “The Gold Immortal Card requires a minimum balance of 20,000 dollars and is reserved for players who take the Immortal Legacy game seriously or are popular and ranked players,” he said firmly. “Poor people like you should never dream of owning one.”
Leon replied calmly, “Then I believe I meet the criteria you just mentioned.”
“You big mouth, you’re just bragging!” Bob scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “I’ll prove you’re just bluffing. Why don’t you go out and run around naked in the streets if I can show your stupidity in front of a crowd? Are you scared? Do you think I’m that stupid to believe you?”
Leon, still unfazed, asked casually, “Then what do I get if I really have the right to have the Gold Immortal Card?”
With a sly grin, Bob answered, “I’ll double the balance on your card.”
“Cool, that’s a pretty interesting bet,” Leon replied and glanced at the other customers, who were now curiously watching their exchange. “I’m sure there are plenty of witnesses.”
Bob then turned to Mia and said, “Verify his account, Mia.”
Mia’s voice suddenly cut through the tension. “Boss… Leon’s account is eligible for the Gold Immortal Card.”
Bob turned to Mia and asked in disbelief, “Are you kidding me? Did you make sure that’s his account?!”
“I’ve confirmed that his account verification was successful.”
“Don’t joke with me!” Bob said sternly before pacing around the counter and peering closely at the computer screen. “No way!” he exclaimed, his voice shaking with shock.
Leon cast a glance around the area, taking in the other customers who had already started to form a line, their curiosity piqued. He then focused his gaze on Bob and asked casually, “You’re not going to go back on your word, right Bob? You wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation in front of all these customers, would you? Now pay me my prize.”
Bob’s face contorted in anger as he clenched his fists. His teeth gritted in annoyance, yet his finger pressed the machine in front of him with a trembling hand. His face was covered in a cold sweat from the pressure.
“I will make you suffer, Leon,” he said slowly.
“Now give me my card,” Leon said firmly.
The sound of the card printing machine then filled the air for a few seconds. After carefully packaging the card in its cover, Mia handed over a sleek black card with a gold-patterned emblem and Leon Chambers’ name inscribed on it.
“Here you go, Leon. This is your card,” she said.
Leon received the card, and with a suppressed smile, he tucked it into his bag. He had been about to purchase some items from the store but had suddenly lost his appetite and decided to leave instead.
“I believe he must have robbed or committed a crime to get that kind of money,” Bob declared loudly, watching Leon walk away.
“But, boss,” Mia replied hesitantly, “I’m sure Immortal Legacy has a very secure system, so I’m not sure your accusation is accurate.”
“Shut up and continue your work,” Bob commanded, then stormed off in a huff.